A statistical approach to inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy on fullerene-terminated molecules

Abstract

We report on the vibrational fingerprint of single C₆₀ terminated molecules in a mechanically controlled break junction (MCBJ) setup using a novel statistical approach manipulating the junction mechanically to address different molecular configurations and to monitor the corresponding vibrational modes. In the IETS spectra, the vibrations of the anchoring C₆₀ dominate the spectra; thus information on the unit anchored with C₆₀ to the electrodes is masked by the modes arising from the anchoring groups. However, we have identified the additional modes from the fluorene backbone optically.